Triangle

The length of Pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes course you will need depends on the entry requirements of your degree course and your current English language skills.

 

How to find the course you need

Please follow these instructions to determine which course you should take:

  1. Look at the boxes below for general courses or specialist courses and choose the information that is relevant to your degree requirements.
  2. Identify your current IELTS (or equivalent) score, this will give you the length of pre-sessional course you need to take.


    Please note that if you study on campus in Nottingham, you must have a SELT recognised qualification to be eligible to apply for a visa to enter the UK. If you are studying your pre-sessional course online, we will accept non-SELT recognised qualifications.

  3. Go to the relevant course page for detailed information regarding what you will learn and how you will be assessed.
  4. Then visit the course dates and fees page for important information regarding course options, dates, application deadlines and fees. You will need the details of the length of your pre-sessional course when you apply.
Tests accepted when applying for a pre-sessional courses
Test takenTypeAccepted for on-campus courseAccepted for online course
IELTS SELT Yes Yes
LanguageCert SELT Yes Yes
Pearson PTE SELT Yes Yes
Trinity ISE   Yes Yes
IELTS Non-SELT No Yes
Pearson PTE Non-SELT No Yes
TOEFL IBT In person only No Yes
 

 

 

General courses – open to students in all schools and departments

Our pre-sessional courses are split into 10-week blocks (apart from the shorter courses in the summer). If you need to study with us for 40 weeks, you will therefore study pre-sessional levels 1, 2, 3 and 4. If your current level of English and the required level for your degree programme allow you to take a shorter pre-sessional course, you will study a reduced number of pre-sessional levels.

Your degree course requires IELTS 6.0 (with no score lower than 5.5)

IELTS scores
Your current IELTS scoreCourse length neededLevel of pre-sessional course you need
Overall No score lower than
4.0 4.0 40 weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4
4.5 4.0 40 weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4
4.5 4.0 (with 4.5 in writing) 30 weeks 2, 3 and 4
5.0 4.5 20 weeks 3 and 4
5.0 5.0 20 weeks 3 and 4
5.5 5.0 10 weeks 4
5.5 5.5 6 or 10 weeks 4
6.0 5.0 (with 5.5 in writing) 6 weeks 4

 

Find out more about our pre-sessional English courses

 

Your degree course requires IELTS 6.5 (with no score lower than 6.0)

IELTS scores
Your current IELTS scoreCourse length neededLevel of pre-sessional course you need
Overall No score lower than
4.0 4.0  40 weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4
4.5 4.0 40 weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4
4.5 4.0 (with 4.5 in writing) 30 weeks 2, 3 and 4
5.0 4.5 30 weeks 2, 3 and 4
5.0 5.0 20 weeks 3 and 4
5.5 5.0 20 weeks 3 and 4
5.5 5.5 20 weeks 3 and 4
6.0 5.0 (with 5.5 in writing) 10 weeks 4
6.0 5.5 (with 6.0 in writing) 6 weeks 4 or specialist course
6.0 6.0 6 weeks 4 or specialist course

 

 
 

Your degree course requires IELTS 6.5 (6.5 in writing and reading, 6.0 in speaking and listening)

IELTS scores
Your current IELTS scoreCourse length neededLevel of pre-sessional course you need
Overall No score lower than
4.0 4.0 and below Not eligible to study
4.5 4.5 reading and writing, 4.0 listening and speaking 40 weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4
5.0 5.0 reading and writing, 4.5 listening and speaking 30 weeks 2, 3 and 4
5.5 5.5 reading and writing, 5.0 listening and speaking 20 weeks 3 and 4
6.0 6.0 reading and writing, 5.5 listening and speaking 10 weeks 4

 

Find out more about our pre-sessional English courses

 

Your degree course requires IELTS 7.0 (with no score lower than 6.0 or 6.5)

IELTS scores
Your current IELTS scoreCourse length neededLevel of pre-sessional course you need
Overall No score lower than
4.5 and below 4.0 and below Not eligible to study
5.5 5.0 40 weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4
5.5 5.5 30 weeks 2, 3 and 4
6.0 5.0 (with 5.5 in writing) 20 weeks 3 and 4
6.0 5.5  20 weeks 3 and 4
6.0 6.0 20 weeks 3 and 4
6.5 6.0 10 weeks 4
6.5 6.0 (with 6.5 in reading and writing) 6 weeks 4 or specialist course
6.5 6.5 6 weeks 4 or specialist course

 

 
 

Find out more about our pre-sessional English courses

 

Specialist courses

We also offer specialist courses for those with offers for specific degree subjects. Please refer to the tables above to check requirements based on target scores to see if you can take a specialist course.

You have an offer to study an undergraduate or postgraduate business degree

We offer a six-week course for students holding an offer for an undergraduate or postgraduate business programme, which has been designed in collaboration with the Nottingham University Business School.

Please refer to the tables above to check requirements based on target scores (6.5 or 7.0) required for your business degree.

When applying for the six-week business and management course, please select CELE 6 Week Preparatory English (on campus).

If your application is successful, you will be placed on the business and management course. Please note that in the event that the number of students recruited to this course is low, we may not be able to run it. We will inform you and provide more information at the earliest opportunity.

Find out more about our specialist courses

 

You have an offer to study an undergraduate or postgraduate education degree

We offer a six-week course for students holding an offer for an undergraduate or postgraduate education programme, which has been designed in collaboration with the School of Education.

Please refer to the tables above to check requirements based on target scores (6.5 or 7.0) required for your education degree.

When applying for the six-week education course, please select CELE 6 Week Preparatory English (on campus).

If your application is successful, you will be placed on the education course. Please note that in the event that the number of students recruited to this course is low, we may not be able to run it. We will inform you and provide more information at the earliest opportunity.

Find out more about our specialist courses

 

Find out more about our specialist courses